The present invention relates to an arrangement for the input and processing of characters and/or graphic patterns for use with electronic data processing systems, including an input unit and a control unit which transmits the input characters and/or graphic patterns to an output unit.
In Federal Republic of Germany Pat. No. 2,517,555, an arrangement is disclosed for inputting characters to an electronic data processing device, including an input unit, an output unit and a control unit. The arrangement has a flat configuration, with the input unit and the output unit being disposed on the top side of the arrangement. The input unit is configured as a keyboard and the output unit is configured as a display which preferably accommodates as many character fields as can be accommodated in one line on a sheet of DIN A4 paper in portrait format. This known arrangement is suitable for the input of text as well as numbers and can be employed as a text station as well as a surface unit. This arrangement, however, cannot be operated by way of a conventional alpha-numeric keyboard having movable keys.
In Federal Republic of Germany Pat. No. 3,431,255, an electronic note-pad device is disclosed including an input unit for the input of handwritten data and a keyboard input unit. However, this device is not suitable as a terminal for comfortable office work stations.
A terminal having a key-operated screen to control a writing station is disclosed in Federal Republic of Germany Pat. No. 3,314,868. The writing station may here serve to record alpha-numeric data on an information carrier or for the input of data into a computer.
An alpha-numeric keyboard according to Federal Republic of Germany Pat. No. 3,340,370 is composed of an input field equipped with sensors and a connected microcomputer. Since no keys are available and manual input is intended, a keyboard can be made which is relatively small and economical to produce.
Additionally, European Pat. Application No. 0,112,972 discloses a data processing system in which characters are generated by use of an ASCII keyboard, and graphic symbols are generated by use of a separate graphics tablet. This results in an input unit having relatively large dimensions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,480 to Blanchard, a transparent touch-sensitive sheet is disclosed which overlies an optical display. An operator can interact with the optical display by contacting the touch-sensitive sheet. The optical display can be a CRT, a CCD, or an LED device.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,552 to Pepper, Jr., a touch-sensitive panel is disclosed for interaction with a video display. The touch-sensitive panel has indicia thereon corresponding to that shown on the video display. The indicia on the touch-sensitive panel can be projected images which can be changed to represent different games.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,437 to Bloom et al, a touch-sensitive panel is disclosed which has a panel having an electrode network thereon. The touch-sensitive panel is for use in a touch-responsive apparatus for determining the location of an object touching the touch-sensitive panel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,392 to Holz, an operating system is disclosed which includes a touch-sensitive panel having transparent electrodes. The touch-sensitive panel overlies a CRT display device. The operating system includes a driver for the touch-sensitive panel, a sense line multiplexer which receives signals from the transparent electrodes on the touch-sensitive panel, and a microprocessor.